Tata Motors did not mock MG Comet EV: Calls viral images ‘distasteful’

A promotional image believed to be shared by Tata Motors, shows the Indian automaker taking a dig at the recently launched MG Comet micro-EV. The image has a Tata Tiago EV with the caption ‘own a car’, standing against a bright green cartoon car, captioned ‘not a cartoon’. The image quickly went viral and soon after, similar images alleging a rebuttal by MG India started circulating over the internet as well. The alleged MG images had snarky tit-for-tats such as ‘drive something sexy, say 'Tata’ to taxi’, ’New school, old school’ and so on. However, the whole scenario seemed to be too bad in taste to come from any experienced corporate set up.

On April 28, Tata Motors issued an official statement on the matter and denied circulating any image showcasing the Tiago EV and ‘another OEMs recently launched product in a distasteful manner’. The automaker's corporate office also wrote that they categorically affirm that this image was not created or distributed by them. However, the same statement also reads that they have advised their channel partners to refrain from engaging with the image. This hints that a Tata Motors dealer could have been the source of the original image. The watermark on the first image carries details of a Tata Motors dealer in Cochin.

Meanwhile, the source of the alleged rebuttal images from MG, remains untraced. Up till last week, the Tata Tiago EV was the most affordable electric car in the country at a starting price of Rs 8.69 lakhs ex-showroom. However, with the new MG Comet prices starting at Rs 7.98 lakhs ex-showroom, comparisons are bound to be made.